Brian Kolb

Kolb was born in Rochester, New York. He received his Associate of Arts degree from Saint Petersburg Junior College in 1980. In 1996, he received his Bachelor of Science from Roberts Wesleyan College, and later earned his Master of Science from Roberts Wesleyan in 1998.

He became an adjunct professor at Roberts Wesleyan in 2000. He was co-founder of North American Filter Corporation and is a former president and COO of the Refractron Technologies Corporation.{{cite web |url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=55336 |title=Assembly Member Brian M. Kolb (NY) |work=Project Vote Smart |access-date=June 4, 2009}}

From 1986 to 1987, Kolb was the town supervisor of Richmond, New York, and served on the Ontario County Board of Supervisors.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

Kolb was first elected to the New York State Assembly in a February 2000 special election. As of January 2020, he has been re-elected nine times.{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/GOP-Assembly-leader-Brian-Kolb-charged-with-14943363.php |title=GOP Assembly leader Brian Kolb charged with drunken driving |date=January 1, 2020 |website=Times Union |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101192456/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/GOP-Assembly-leader-Brian-Kolb-charged-with-14943363.php |archive-date=January 1, 2020 |url-status=live}} Kolb represented the 129th assembly district from 2000 to 2012, and represented the 131st assembly district from 2013 to 2021.{{cite web |title=Assemblyman Brian Kolb: 131st Assembly District |url=http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-M-Kolb/bio/ |work=assembly.state.ny.us |publisher=New York Assembly |access-date=May 25, 2014}}{{better source needed|date=January 2020}} New York's 131st Assembly District comprises all of Ontario County and portions of Seneca County in Upstate New York.{{cite web |title=131st District Map |url=http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-M-Kolb/map/ |work=assembly.state.ny.us |publisher=New York Assembly |access-date=May 25, 2014}}

A Republican, Kolb was chosen as Assembly Minority Leader following the resignation of Jim Tedisco. He became Assembly Minority Leader on April 6, 2009. As of December 2018, Kolb was the longest-serving legislative leader in the New York State Legislature.{{cite news |url=http://legislativegazette.com/kolb-re-elected-leader-of-assembly-republican-conference/ |title=Kolb re-elected leader of Assembly Republican Conference |date=December 3, 2018 |work=Legislative Gazette |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220074946/http://legislativegazette.com/kolb-re-elected-leader-of-assembly-republican-conference/ |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://poststar.com/news/local/ny-assembly-republicans-select-new-minority-leader/article_31d4ae0d-0173-5a8a-9560-59f78b5f4882.html |title=NY Assembly Republicans select new minority leader |website=Glens Falls Post-Star |date=April 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730150823/https://poststar.com/news/local/ny-assembly-republicans-select-new-minority-leader/article_31d4ae0d-0173-5a8a-9560-59f78b5f4882.html |archive-date=July 30, 2019 |url-status=live}}{{Subscription required|date=July 2023}}

A member of the National Rifle Association of America, Kolb appeared alongside the organization's CEO, Wayne LaPierre, at a 2012 lobby day event in Albany.{{cite web |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Joshua |title=NYS Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb Celebrates "Sportsmen's Day 2012," Defends Second Amendment Constitutional Freedoms Of All New Yorkers |url=http://assembly.state.ny.us/Minority/20120320a/ |publisher=Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb/New York State Assembly Minority |access-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406191651/http://assembly.state.ny.us/Minority/20120320a/ |archive-date=April 6, 2013 |url-status=live}}{{better source needed|date=January 2020}} Kolb is also a member of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association.{{cite web |last1=Spector |first1=Joseph |title=Rifle Association Moves Kolb to the Head of The Class |url=http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2012/10/03/rifle-association-moves-kolb-to-the-head-of-the-class/ |website=Albany Watch |publisher=USA Today |access-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213201029/http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2012/10/03/rifle-association-moves-kolb-to-the-head-of-the-class/ |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |url-status=dead}}

In 2017, Kolb was the only one of New York's five state legislative leaders and six statewide elected officials to support New York Proposition 1 (2017), which called for a state constitutional convention. Proposition 1 was defeated at the ballot box, receiving only 16% of the vote.{{cite web |last1=Reisman |first1=Nick |title=Lawmakers have a lot to say about NY constitutional convention proposal |url=http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2017/10/10/new-york-constitutional-convention-vote-latest |website=Spectrum News |access-date=December 12, 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Kolb |first1=Brian |title=Kolb: The case for a constitutional convention |url=http://auburnpub.com/opinion/columnists/kolb-the-case-for-a-constitutional-convention/article_2292cb7a-5373-11e7-8749-5b8798ce7634.html |website=Auburnpub |access-date=December 12, 2017}}

Kolb is a member of the member of the advisory board for the Ontario ARC, a member of the Sons of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the American Irish Legislators Society, Ontario Charities Classic Board of Directors, the Ontario ARC Advisory Board and the New York Farm Bureau.{{better source needed|date=January 2020}}

Kolb stepped down from the position of Assembly Minority Leader on January 3, 2020, after having been arrested for driving while intoxicated several days earlier.{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Assembly-Minority-Leader-Brian-Kolb-steps-down-14948364.php |title=Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb steps down after DWI arrest |date=January 3, 2020 |website=Times Union}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/ny-lawmaker-brian-kolb-who-warned-about-driving-drunk-resigns-n1110316 |title=NY lawmaker, who warned about driving drunk, resigns as GOP leader after DWI arrest |website=NBC News |date=January 3, 2020}} In February 2020, Kolb announced that he would not seek re-election to the Assembly in the November 2020 election.{{Cite web |title=Assemblyman Brian Kolb will not seek re-election after DWI charge |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2020/02/13/brian-kolb-assembkyman-dwi-will-not-seek-reelection/4751102002/ |last=Campbell |first=Jon |website=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |language=en |access-date=2020-06-01}}

Kolb had been named as a leading Republican contender in New York's 29th congressional district in 2010; however, he declined to seek the seat after becoming minority leader.{{cite web |last=DeWitt |first=Karen |url=http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1490205§ionID=1 |title=Assembly GOP Names New Leader |date=April 6, 2009 |work=publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi |publisher=WXXI Public Broadcasting Council |access-date=June 5, 2009}} Though his potential candidacy was never taken seriously, he also declined an opportunity to run against Kirsten Gillibrand for United States Senate{{Cite web |url=http://www.mpnnow.com/elections/x1013165731/With-Massa-out-Republicans-rethinking-29th-District-race |title="Republicans rethinking 29th District race" |work=mpnnow.com |date=March 3, 2010 |access-date=March 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906085549/http://www.mpnnow.com/elections/x1013165731/With-Massa-out-Republicans-rethinking-29th-District-race |archive-date=September 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }} and also declined to run for Congress in 2012, this time against Democrat Kathy Hochul.Bragg, Chris (March 7, 2012). [http://www.cityandstateny.com/sen-patrick-gallivan-and-big-gop-names-eying-hochuls-seat/ Sen. Patrick Gallivan (And Other Big GOP Names) Eying Hochul's Seat] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309073309/http://www.cityandstateny.com/sen-patrick-gallivan-and-big-gop-names-eying-hochuls-seat/ |date=March 9, 2012 }}. City & State. Retrieved March 7, 2012.

On December 12, 2017, Kolb announced his intent to run for Governor of New York in 2018.[http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/republican-formally-announces-plan-run-n-y-governor-article-1.3693531?cid=bitly First Republican formally announces plans to run for New York governor]. New York Daily News. Retrieved December 12, 2017. He withdrew from the race in February 2018.{{cite news |url=http://legislativegazette.com/brian-kolb-announced-withdrawal-from-gubernatorial-race/ |title=Brian Kolb withdraws from gubernatorial race |date=February 3, 2018 |work=Legislative Gazette}}

Kolb resides in Canandaigua, New York. He and his wife, Lauren, have three children.

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=131 New York State Assembly member website]
• [http://www.nyracc.com New York Republican Assembly Campaign Committee]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930100820/http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/alsorun.asp?CID=N00026638&cycle=2004 Brian M. Kolb: 2004 Politician Profile] Campaign funding profile compiled by Opensecrets.org
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070314021352/http://www.nylcv.org/endorse/candidate/brian_kolb Response to New York League of Conservation Voters' Questionnaire]

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{{s-par|us-ny-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Craig Doran}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the New York Assembly
from the 129th district|years=2000–2012}}

{{s-aft|after=William Magnarelli}}

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{{s-bef|before=Harry Bronson}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the New York Assembly
from the 131st district|years=2013–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Jeff Gallahan}}

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{{s-bef|before=Jim Tedisco}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the New York Assembly|years=2009–2020}}

{{s-aft|after=William A. Barclay}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolb, Brian}}

Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly

Category:Politicians from Canandaigua, New York

Category:Politicians from Rochester, New York

Category:Roberts Wesleyan University alumni

Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature

Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature